Friends and colleagues Crooked Stave and Upslope kick off a new collaboration series.

Catching up on some craft beer news from the inbox, Twitter feed, Facebook and such …

Anything new Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project does is anticipated around these parts, and that goes double for its latest project – a series of collaborative beers with other breweries that will bring Crooked Stave’s signature funk to the fore.

The first installment of the Ferus Fluxus (or “wild flow”) series is Wild Belgian Pale Ale, a collaboration with Boulder’s Upslope Brewing. It involves taking Upslope’s Belgian Style Pale Ale, inoculating it with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus and aging it nine months in first-use red wine barrels from Rocky Mountain Barrel Company (conveniently next door to Crooked Stave’s barrel cellar).

There will be, fittingly, two release parties: at 6 p.m., Mon. Feb. 17, Crooked Stave will start selling its bottles at its tap room at The Source for $10 each with a four bottle limit; the beer will be available on draft a half hour later. The next day, Upslope will take its turn, selling $14 cans (limit three) at its original Lee Hill tap room.

Younger Watch: We’ve begun to field inquiries about cult beer Pliny the Younger’s imminent annual arrival in Colorado. Michael Fine of Elite Brands, which distributes Russian River’s beer in Colorado, said it appears the shipment will be the same size as last year and there will be little to no changes in terms of which accounts will receive Younger. The traditional first pour goes to Falling Rock Tap House and it has tentatively scheduled its first release for 6 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 19. Falling Rock’s other release dates are firm: 1 p.m. on Sat., Feb. 22 and 1 p.m. on Sun., Feb. 23. You can read how exactly things will work here, on the Falling Rock blog. Until the picture becomes clearer elsewhere, here’s a post from last year, which should give you a good road map.

Case of the Sundays: On the seventh day, New Belgium Brewing is open. The Fort Collins brewery is now open Sundays, as of this past weekend. Tours will be available. Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during winter.

Be Mine: Opportunities abound to celebrate love for craft beer on Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Friday this year. Denver Beer Co. will host a beer and chocolate pairing on Feb. 14 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at its barrel room annex. Eight chocolates from Denver’s Chocolate Lab paired with four Denver Beer Co. beers ($30 per pairing) … Black Shirt Brewing will team up with local confectioner Lucille’s and local cheese monger A Cheese Peddler to offer a board of artisan cheeses, bread, and espresso ‘mallows paired with a flight of eight BSB red ales ($30/couple) … BRU Handbuilt Ales and Eats in Boulder will host a five-course Valentine’s Beer Dinner for hops and barley lovers ($65/person). Full menu can be found here and reservations available at 720.638.5193 … Wit’s End Brewing Company’s 3rd Annual Valentine’s Day Beer and Chocolate Pairing promises a low-key evening set to a soundtrack of appropriately sappy music. 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. … Great Divide is debuting a brand-new pilot beer on Valentine’s Day – Rye’t Meow Double Rye IPA, described as “a big, citrusy, hop-forward ale with a hint of rye spiciness.”

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In Colorado, our pint glasses overflow with excellent beer. New breweries, new batches, festivals every other week. How lucky are we? First Drafts is The Denver Post's beer blog aimed at helping you keep tabs on the state's ever-expanding craft beer culture. We offer a mash of news, event coverage, homegrown stories, tasting notes and tips to help you imbibe. Expert drinker or homebrewer? Let us know what you're loving about Colorado's beer scene. Not sure exactly what a firkin is? No worries, let us be your guide. Go ahead. Belly up and drink it in!